Christmas in July: Light me up

Happy end of July! Celebrate the day!
 

Christmas in July: Not the kind on the shelf

There are so many brands of elves that it's hard to keep up!
 

Christmas in July: The spirit of sharing

I've probably said this more than once, but one of my favorite lines from the classic Andy Capp is Andy explaining himself to the vicar: "I have self control — I just refuse to be a slave to it!"
 

Christmas in July: The wrong stockings

There are few things worse than finding yourself rummaging around in the dirty laundry looking for candy. 
 

Christmas in July: A gentle reminder

I was recently on one of the Church's web pages, and there was a link to a "Christmas in July" playlist (if you use the Living app, they have playlists — and cartoons! — all the time).

I was inspired. 

Since I've been have some issues with posting and a few other technical challenges, I thought I would follow their lead and celebrate Christmas in July with a few of my favorites for this week.

Please enjoy, and think cool thoughts!

Sketchbook: Growth of the Church

Reminds me of the LDS churches in Provo, one next to another, each one larger than the first.
 

As we go charging up the hill

Would it have been easier to push a handcart if there were cheerleaders encouraging you?
 

Underneath it all

It's even more true when you go camping with the Young Men.
 

Happy trails

"Play" might be stretching it just a little bit!
 

All in good taste

It's all part of the seagull pride cycle.
 

Quotable quotes

I've been waiting to use this one.
 

Sketchbook: Mashup

Sometimes I get brilliant ideas in the middle of the night. I dash them out and hope I can remember them in the morning. 

The other night I had this idea that Harry Potter on the Mormon Trail might be a hilarious idea for a series of gags. As I fleshed out the idea a little more in the morning light, I realized how mistaken I was. 

Snoopy once said, “If you think about something at two o’clock in the morning and at ten o’clock the next day, you’ll get two completely different answers.”

This is a testament that his statement is true. 

A five year mission?

If I were in charge, I'd like to try this just once to see if we could get away with it!
 

Answer in the sky

Have you ever noticed that when you travel somewhere different, you spend a lot of times noticing things that remind you of home?

For your convenience

It would be a mess...
 

On the path

Except on Sundays.
 

Keeping pace

The upside of using handcarts was they they were less expensive than wagons and could travel more quickly across the plains ("quickly" being a relative term). The downside was that they were limited in how much they could carry and didn't provide much shelter from the elements— plus there was a lot more walking involved.
 

Sketchbook: Lost and found

We left pass along cards on the bus, put event information amongst stacks of information at the post office. Why not something like this?
 

Face it

I had a great aunt who could grow a pretty good beard. Thankfully, she chose not to.

 

Up on top

...and another favorite from a couple of years ago. 
 

Footnotes

 

How much time do I have?

It's never too early to start thinking about things like that, you know.
 

One step at a time

I find it interesting how many general authorities tell stories about harrowing activities they had as young men. Yet on the other hand, how many high adventure activities get shot down because someone thinks they're too dangerous? How do we expect these young men to become great leaders?
 

Sketchbook: Celebrating freedoms

It's like this in our house just about every year!
 

You light up my life

Another rerun while we get things sorted out. Thanks to heightened fire danger "reality" is what a lot of us are going to see rather than the bombs bursting in air!

Happy Independence Day, and let's be careful out there!

 

Stand back, stand back

Having some technical difficulties with the site, so here's a favorite from last year. 

 

Take off, eh?

I think that I had more Canadian companions than anyone else in my mission. But somehow it was always me who shared the Macintosh bars!